Hermann hugk



Patented ApriHQ, I881.

H. HUOK.

' Process of Curing and Coloring Leaf Tobacco. NO, 240,252.

N-FETERS. PNGTQLITNOGRIPHER, WASHINGTON. D. O.

, UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

'HERMANN HUOK, OF

LONG MEADOW, MASS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. PHILIPS, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,252, dated April19, 1881.

- Application filed February 6, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN HUoK, of Long Meadow, county of Ham pden,and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented new and useful Improvements inProcesses of Curing and OoloringUnmanufacturedLeaf-Tobacco,whichimprovements are fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to the treatment of unmanufactured leaf-tobacco forthe purposes of darkening the color of it, extracting a portion of thenicotine, maturing it, and improving it for smoking and other uses.

Various means have hitherto been employed for artificially sweatingleaf-tobacco, so as to produce the results set forth above, among whichhave been the application of steam direct to the tobacco, while it washung up or otherwise suitably arranged in asteam box or compartment, orthe application of heat in such a compartment, through the medium ofsteam-pipes placed therein; also inclosing tobacco,.in a moist state, ina vessel, and exposing said vessel to the action of a surrounding bodyof steam, or to hot air in an oven or otheisuitable place; but byneither of the before-mentioned methods can tobacco be so treated byheat as to produce the result attainable by my process, as herein setforth. Furthermore, neither hot air nor steamheat can be safely employedfor such a purpose, for a heat above 212 Fahrenheit is injurious to it.Nor should it be exposed to a drying heat; and many grades require to betreated under a steady, unfiuctuatin g, damp heat much under 212Fahrenheit.

It is obvious that by the employment for said purposes of steam or hotair, under such restrictive conditions as to steady damp heat under 212Fahrenheit, as it requires, owing to the imperfect conductivity anddrying nature of hot air, and to the fact that steam is an aqueous vaporinto which water is converted when heated to the boiling-point, and mustconsequently impart heat at or above 212 Fahrenheit to the tobacco, suchheats as are thus produced by hot air and steam, when used for thispurpose, are injurious, for heated air is too drying, and by itsemployment the moisture is often extracted from the tobacco, causing itto be burned, so as to be made too tender for use, and the heat fromsteam applied externally to the vessel containing tobacco-leavesmoistened with water converts said water into steam, and thus becomes asource of serious injury to the contents of said vessel, for steamingthe tobacco I also renders it too tender for manufacturing purposes.

To obviate the above-named imperfections in processes heretoforeemployed, and especially to provide such a process as can besuccessfully and practically employed for treating tobacco properly tosuch degrees of steady damp heat below 212 Fahrenheit as circumstancesmay require, is the object of my invention.

In practicing my process according to my invention I sprinkle orotherwise dampen the tobacco to be sweated or matured, place it ratherloosely than otherwise in a vessel havinga loosely-fitting cover. Ithenprovideavessel larger than the last-named one, arrange it suitably overa tire or furnace and partly fill it with water. In this larger vessel Iplace the one containing the tobacco-leaves, taking care that thereshall be sufficient water in the larger one to till it up about to theline of the top of the tobacco in the smaller vessel, when one is placedwithin the other, as aforesaid, or the tobacco-holding vessel may have awater-tight cover and be quite submerged in the water,

always taking care that between the fire and the sides of the vesselwith which the tobacco comes in contact a suitable body of water isinterposed. Thus arranged, I beat the water contained in the largervessel, and the water conveys its heat steadily and continuously throughthe walls ofthe smaller vessel to the tobacco therein inclosed. Icontinue the exposure of the tobacco to the heat of the water for abouttwenty-four hours, or less, according to the nature or original color ofthe leaves being treated.

The tobacco treated is that which has been dried in the usual way andpacked in boxes by the growers thereof or others. The various conditionsof moisture and temperature under which said tobacco was packed, and thetemperature, humidity, and dryness of the atmosphere, in places wheresuch packed cases may have been stored, all influence the color andburning qualities of the tobacco; therefore, when cases are opened forconsumption, it becomes desirable to finally cure and color the leafpreparatory to making it into cigars, under conditions which are adaptedto the various qualities found usually in a case or lot. There= fore thequality to be treated, and the extent to which it has naturally sweated,must determine the heat required'and the time of exposure. Theseconditions vary from 50 Fahrenheit to 212, and from twelve' toforty-eight hours exposure.

Before heating the water and the tobacco to be operated upon the degreeof heat under which it is to be treated is determined, and anywell-known means may be employed for so regulating the fire as tomaintain the temperature of the water which surrounds thetobacco-holding vessel at such a point as the tobacco within said vesselmay require.

It is obvious that, under the circumstances and conditions above setforth, the tobacco cannot be exposed to a heat above 212 Fahrenheit, norto other than a damp heat, and hence no damage can be done to it byoverheating it.

After the tobacco has been treated as abovedescribed it is removed fromthe vessel in which it was sweated, and, soon becoming dry, is ready tobe packed in cases for sale, or for immediate manufacture.

An apparatus for use in carrying out my improvement is shown in thedrawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sect-ion; Fig. 2, a plan,the cover being removed.

Arepresents awater-tank B, the fire-grate d, a smoke-flue; c, the maincover of the tank e, the tobacco-receptacle; i, the support between thetank A and receptacle 0; b, a vertically-sliding cover for thereceptacle 0; 0, a water-space between tank A and the receptaole; w, avapor-pipe through the cover 0, and E the sides and bottom to thefurnace surrounding the tank A.

The cover 0 may be hinged or not. Its purpose is to retain the warmthwithin the furnace and over the tank'and receptacle.

The cover I) is provided to be laid down against the top of the tobaccoin box 6, which is, as seen, arranged to be surrounded with water, andthe water-tank A is exposed to the heat of the fire in the furnace.

The'pipe a; in cover 0 provides for such a free exit for any evaporationfrom tank A as to prevent any steam-pressure which would tend to raisethe temperature under the cover above 212.

I am aware that tobacco has been treated in chambers under heat,moisture, and pressure; but 1 have ascertained that this treatment isdestructive to many grades of tobacco, and that, under allcircumstances, by treating the tobacco at a heat less than 212 a muchimproved product is produced.

What 1 claim as my invention is- The hereinbefore-described improvementin the art of sweating and maturing unmanufactured leaf-tobacco, whichconsists in inclosin g such tobacco, while in a moist condition, in aproper receptacle, and subsequently in wholly or partially submergingsaid receptacle containing the tobacco in a bath of warm or hot water,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

HERMANN HUGK.

Witnesses:

WM. H. GHAPIN, O. W. STEBBINs.

